


And They Lived Happily

by Estalfaed



Category: Mass Effect - All Media Types, Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Commander Shepard's Birthday, Destruction Ending (Mass Effect), Domestic Fluff, Its Just Silly Fluff Y'all, Kid Fic, M/M, Many Years After the War, Post-Reaper War, Shepard-Alenko Family Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-11
Updated: 2018-04-11
Packaged: 2019-04-21 16:17:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,639
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14288703
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Estalfaed/pseuds/Estalfaed
Summary: The first thing Shepard noticed upon waking was the smell of something burning, it still had the pleasant scent of something meaty but underlined with what was definitely char. Muffled voices and a sharp squeal floating upstairs had him sitting up and reaching for the gun he no longer kept at his bedside before the last of the sleep fog cleared his mind.Shepard didn’t carry a gun anymore, he didn’t need to. Hadn’t held one for a while now; muscle memory was hard to shake though.





	And They Lived Happily

**Author's Note:**

> This was written in honor of Commander Shepard's birthday! Happy birthday Shepard, you have been a beacon and a pillar for so many people and I am so happy to have found this universe that I love.

**And They Lived Happily**

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The first thing Shepard noticed upon waking was the smell of something burning, it still had the pleasant scent of something meaty but underlined with what was definitely char. Muffled voices and a sharp squeal floating upstairs had him sitting up and reaching for the gun he no longer kept at his bedside before the last of the sleep fog cleared his mind.

Shepard didn’t carry a gun anymore, he didn’t need to. Hadn’t held one for a while now; muscle memory was hard to shake though.

More squeals, a shriek, and giggled laughter filled the air, this time a small smile flittered across his face. The other side of the bed was empty and cool, so clearly Kaidan had been up for a while. He was only mildly disappointed that morning sex was off the table, unfortunate as that was his favorite. Shepard pulled himself out of bed and slipped on a pair of loose sweats and a plain white cotton v-neck.

Glancing over at the clock it read a little past eight in the morning, so as far as sleeping in with three little monsters roaming around, it wasn’t bad at all. He crept down the stairs quietly, ignoring the small pops of protest his knee made, and crept around the corner to a scene of beautiful chaos.

David was running around the kitchen, covered in flour and other bits of food, dark curls bouncing with the patter of his feet, and nothing else. He chased his sister Ashley, who was the source of the shrieks, making grabby hands at her and laughing. Cam, David’s twin in every way except the tight buzz that mirrored Shepard’s own, sat on the counter ignoring them both to help Kaidan carefully scoop pancake batter onto skillet.

Kaidan looked a bit better than David, as he was fully clothed complete with a “kiss the cook” apron, but he too was covered in flour and bits of fruit, a slightly harassed look to his eyes as he watched Cam. Still, a small smile graced his lips, one Shepard planned on kissing off of him later.

He took a moment to watch quietly, unobserved from his spot. His chest was tight and he felt that overwhelming sense of “fullness” that he only got when looking at his family and friends. John watched as Cam cheered in delight at the “s” he made out of the pancake batter and the way that Kadian smiled at their son, pride written on every feature, high fives given out in generous amounts. He watched as Ashley finally got sick of her brothers game, light up blue as her biotics activated and gently lifted David into the air, much to the lads delight.

Shepard took that moment to locate the child’s missing pants, grab them and slip them on him. John didn’t understand the child’s incessant need to be naked all the time, and it had led to more than one embarrassing moment in public.

David’s face lit up and he squealed, “Daddy!” The little boy waved his arms in the air, floating helplessly until John grabbed him and pulled him in, nice and close. Shepard gave Ashley his best ‘dad face,’ and she gave him an impish smile, cheeks flushing just a shade darker blue, before her biotics cut off and he felt the full weight of his son in his arms. He gave the boy a tight hug and a kiss in that mess of dark curls.

“Hey tiger. Keep your clothes on and stop tormenting your sister, ok?”

The boy in his arms sighed dramatically and hid his face in the crook of his father’s neck, a muffled “finnneee” was whispered into his ears.

“There’s a good lad.” Shepard shifted his son so the majority of the weight rested on his hips before reaching out to Ashley, pulling her in for a hug, one which she returned enthusiastically. He felt that fullness in his chest again, inflating a bit more, warming him to his core.

“Happy Birthday, Daddy!” Cam shouted from his perch on the counter, still focused on his task of pouring pancake letters on the skillet. “Papa and I are making you breakfast.” His eyes scrunched in focus as he formed a lopsided “k.”

“Hey, I helped too!” Ashley pipped in. “I made the bacon!” She smiled up at him, proud at her accomplishment. Shepard squeezed her a little closer to him, placing a quick kiss at the top of her head, he only felt a small twinge in his heart that he only had to lean down a little, his daughter already tall enough that her crests reached his chest. “Thanks bud, thanks sweetie.”

Shepard glanced over to the stack of bacon, very _crispy_ and found the source of the burning smell from earlier. He shared a look with Kaidan, his husband looking slightly put out about the burnt meat, but shrugged in that ‘what can you do’ way. “Everything looks great, can’t wait to eat it all.” He ended in a semi-shout, semi-growl, mouthing at David’s back causing the boy to squeal and wriggle in delight.

He placed David back down carefully, despite the wild squirming, and looked the boy in the eyes. “Will you help your sister set the table?”

David pouted, giving Shepard those ‘puppy dog eyes,’ and when finally realizing they weren’t getting him anywhere, huffed and gave a slight nod.

“Thank you.” Walking over to Cam, he lifted his son into a tight hug and placed a kiss on his cheek before setting him down as well. “You too Cam, Papa and I will finish up.”

Cam was let put out about it but obviously not happy with table duty either. “Ok, daddy. But only cuz it’s your birthday.”

That caused a surprised chuckle to escape his chest and as the three of them trotted around the corner he called out, “Make sure you wash up too!” Their responses were indistinct but he was pretty sure they would follow through. Ash would make sure they at least washed their hands.

He felt strong arms wrap around his waist and pull him in close, and Shepard leaned into the embrace as soft lips kissed up the side of his neck. “Happy Birthday, John.”

“Mmm, thanks hun.” He closed his eyes, content to let Kaidan kiss up and down his neck, but let out a soft groan when he felt his husbands _excitement_ press into his backside even through the fabric of the apron. With a grin, Shepard twisted in his husband’s arms so they were facing each other and pressed the older man against the fridge, claiming his mouth with a searing kiss and grinding their hips together. He swallowed Kaidan’s moans and deepened the kiss until they both broke away panting for breath.

His lover grinned and pushed him away slightly. At Shepard’s questioning pout, Kaidan chuckled and pointed to the pancakes. “Cam would be devastated if we burn them, John.”

Shepard adjusted himself in his sweatpants and gave the biotic a rueful grin. “Good call, K.” After a moments pause, he pressed up against his husband and reached under the hem of his sweatpants to _adjust_ the man as well. If his hands lingered a bit longer than necessary, if he was waiting for Kaidan’s hitched breath and the little shiver his shoulders made, well, he could hardly be blamed for it. Kaidan was just too beautiful for him to keeps his hands off of.

“Uncle Garrus is still coming to pick them up later tonight for that exploration extravaganza sleep over, right?”

“Yeah, he’ll be swooping in after dinner tonight so we can still spend the day together but uh…have some _alone_ time later.”

He nodded. “Kids give you any trouble?”

The older man shook his head and flipped the pancakes with practiced ease. “Nah. Until David started chasing Ashley, things were pretty calm.” He smiled fondly and shook his head again. “That kid. Did you run around naked a lot when you were younger Shepard? Because I’m pretty sure he didn’t get that from me.”

John laughed and felt his cheeks flush, grateful that his husband was focused more on the pancakes than him. “You kidding me? With those nuns at the orphanage? No way.”

“Uh-huh.” Kaidan flipped the pancakes off the skillet and onto a plate, flourishing the spatula. “Somehow I doubt that.”

“W-what?”

Thankfully he was saved as David and Cam came barreling down the stairs and back into the kitchen, followed closely behind by Ashley, the three of them singing “Happy Birthday” off beat and off key, toting a brightly wrapped present each in their arms. They ate breakfast and even though the bacon was burned and the pancakes were chewy, surrounded by his family, Shepard couldn’t remember a breakfast that had left him more content.

It had been a long road to get here, to this beautiful life he had. Filled with ups and downs, victories and defeats, moments when he wanted to give up and pushed through anyways. He was so damn grateful. Forty-two years old and so much more to look forward to. Surrounded by the love of his life and the children they were raising, there was nowhere else he’d rather be.

Dinner came and went, the kids were packed up and he had kissed them goodbye, Uncle Garrus having come and swooped them away for the weekend.  The house felt oddly empty, and yet wrapped up in Kaidan’s arms it wasn’t a bad kind of empty, just different. John looked into those beautiful whiskey brown eyes and felt his heart swell.

His husband smiled back at him and pressed a soft kiss to his lips. “Happy Birthday, John. I love you.”

“I love you too, K, always.”

~ _And they lived happily._


End file.
